Isaiah 37.33-38.6 (6th Hour)

33Zato ovako veli Gospod za cara Asirskoga: neæe uæi u ovaj grad, niti æe baciti amo strijele, neæe se primaæi k njemu sa štitom, niti æe iskopati opkopa oko njega. 34Vratiæe se putem kojim je došao, a u grad ovaj neæe uæi, veli Gospod. 35Jer æu braniti taj grad i saèuvaæu ga sebe radi i radi Davida sluge svojega. 36Tada izide anðeo Gospodnji i pobi u okolu Asirskom sto i osamdeset i pet tisuæa; i kad ustaše ujutru, a to sve sami mrtvaci. 37Te se podiže Senahirim car Asirski, i otide, i vrativši se osta u Nineviji. 38I kad se klanjaše u domu Nisroka boga svojega, Adrameleh i Sarasar sinovi njegovi ubiše ga maèem, a sami pobjegoše u zemlju Araratsku, i na njegovo se mjesto zacari Esaradon sin njegov.

1U to vrijeme razbolje se Jezekija na smrt; i doðe k njemu prorok Isaija sin Amosov i reèe mu: ovako veli Gospod: naredi za kuæu svoju, jer æeš umrijeti i neæeš ostati živ. 2A Jezekija se okrete licem k zidu, i pomoli se Gospodu, 3I reèe: oh, Gospode, opomeni se da sam jednako hodio pred tobom vjerno i s cijelijem srcem, i tvorio što je tebi ugodno. I plaka Jezekija veoma. 4Tada doðe rijeè Gospodnja Isaiji govoreæi: 5Idi i reci Jezekiji: ovako veli Gospod Bog Davida oca tvojega: èuo sam molitvu tvoju, i vidio sam suze tvoje, evo dodaæu ti vijeku petnaest godina. 6I izbaviæu tebe i ovaj grad iz ruku cara Asirskoga, i braniæu ovaj grad.

Genesis 13.12-18 (Vespers)

12Avram življaše u zemlji Hananskoj, a Lot življaše po gradovima u onoj ravnici premještajuæi svoje šatore do Sodoma. 13A ljudi u Sodomu bijahu nevaljali, i griješahu Gospodu veoma. 14A Gospod reèe Avramu, pošto se Lot odijeli od njega: podigni sada oèi svoje, pa pogledaj s mjesta gdje si na sjever i na jug i na istok i na zapad. 15Jer svu zemlju što vidiš tebi æu dati i sjemenu tvojemu dovijeka. 16I uèiniæu da sjemena tvojega bude kao praha na zemlji; ako ko uzmože izbrojiti prah na zemlji, moæi æe izbrojiti i sjeme tvoje. 17Ustani, i prolazi tu zemlju u dužinu i u širinu; jer æu je tebi dati. 18I Avram diže šatore, i doðe i naseli se u ravnici Mamrijskoj, koja je kod Hevrona, i ondje naèini žrtvenik Gospodu.

Proverbs 14.27-15.4 (Vespers)

27Strah je Gospodnji izvor životu da se èovjek saèuva od prugala smrtnijeh. 28U mnoštvu je naroda slava caru; a kad nestaje naroda, propast je vladaocu. 29Ko je spor na gnjev, velika je razuma; a ko je nagao pokazuje ludost. 30Život je tijelu srce zdravo, a zavist je trulež u kostima. 31Ko èini krivo ubogome, sramoti stvoritelja njegova; a poštuje ga ko je milostiv siromahu. 32Za zlo svoje povrgnuæe se bezbožnik, a pravednik nada se i na smrti. 33Mudrost poèiva u srcu razumna èovjeka, a što je u bezumnima poznaje se. 34Pravda podiže narod, a grijeh je sramota narodima. 35Mio je caru razuman sluga, ali na sramotna gnjevi se.

1Odgovor blag utišava gnjev, a rijeè prijeka podiže srdnju. 2Jezik mudrijeh ljudi ukrašava znanje, a usta bezumnijeh prosipaju bezumlje. 3Oèi su Gospodnje na svakom mjestu gledajuæi zle i dobre. 4Zdrav je jezik drvo životno, a opaèina s njega kršenje od vjetra.

Monk-martyr Nikon and 199 disciples, in Sicily (251)

He was born in Neapolis (Naples) to a pagan father and a Christian mother, and became an officer in the Roman army. Though he was not baptised, his mother had secretly instructed him in the Christian faith. Once, in a battle, his company was completely surrounded by the enemy, and Nikon recalled his mother’s counseling that, whenever he was in trouble, he should make the sign of the Cross and call upon Christ. This he did, and was immediately filled with strength and resolution, so that the enemy’s army was routed. Nikon went home, openly crying out ‘Great is the God of the Christians!’ to the great joy of his mother.

He traveled secretly to Cyzicus in Asia, where the bishop Theodosius baptised him. He then entered a monastery to spend his days in prayer and study. But some years later Theodosius, who was near death, had a vision in which he was told to consecrate Nikon as his successor. He summoned Nikon from the monastery and, to the monk’s amazement, immediately ordained him a deacon, then a priest, then a bishop.

Later, bishop Nikon returned to Italy to preach the Gospel of Christ. In Naples, he found his mother still alive, and remained with her until her death. He then set out with nine disciples, former fellow-soldiers, to proclaim the Faith. Through the Saint’s grace-filled preaching and example, many more disciples were soon added to this number. At that time a great persecution of Christians was underway, and Quintinianus, ruler of that region, seized Nikon and his companions and handed them over to the torturers. One hundred ninety of Nikon’s companions perished under torture. Nikon himself was beaten, flayed, and even thrown from a high cliff, but was miraculously preserved. Finally he was slain by the sword and his body thrown in a field to be eaten by the beasts. A shepherd boy, possessed by a spirit of madness, found the body, fell on it, and was instantly healed. He told his story to some Christians, who found the body and gave it honorable burial. Saint Nikon contested during the reign of the Emperor Decius.